Bell  Work  Based  on  this  picture  and  cap0on,  what  assump0on  can  you  make  about  Japanese  life  in  the  Nara  period?    Explain  your  answer.        *Don’t  forget!    Your  map  test  is  tomorrow!    

I  can  trace  the  emergence  (why  something  became  important/significant)  of  Japan  during  the  Nara  period.    7.29  Trace  the  emergence  of  the  Japanese  na0on  during  the  Nara,  710-­‐794,  and  the  Heian  periods,  794-­‐1180.  (H,  P)    

 

Essen0al  Ques0ons  

•  When  was  the  Nara  period?  •  What  significant  changes  happened  in  Japan  during  this  0me?  

•  What  was  life  like  during  the  Nara  period?  •  What  did  Japan  borrow  from  China  during  the  Nara  period?  

What  Mastery  Looks  Like  

•  Explain  how  China  influenced  life  in  the  Nara  period.      

•  Explain  what  happened  during  this  0me  to  make  Japan  emerge  as  an  important  na0on.      

When  was  the  Nara  period?  

Predict!  •  What  do  you  think  life  was  like  during  the  Nara  period?  

Todaiji  (東大寺,  Tōdaiji,  "Great  Eastern  Temple")  is  one  of  Japan's  most  famous  and  historically  significant  temples  and  a  landmark  of  Nara.    The  temple  was  constructed  in  752  as  the  head  temple  of  all  provincial  Buddhist  temples  of  Japan  and  grew  so  powerful  that  the  capital  was  moved  from  Nara  to  Nagaoka  in  784  to  lower  the  temple’s  influence  on  government  affairs.    

hcp://www.japan-­‐guide.com/e/e4100.html  

What  was  it  like  in  the  Nara  period?  

•  Nara  period  in  Japanese  history  was  a  period  in  which  the  imperial  government  was  at  Nara.  

•  Buddhism  was  most  highly  developed,  (but  spread  slowly  outside  the  capital  area).    

•  Nara  ar0sans  produced  refined  Buddhist  sculpture  and  erected  grand  Buddhist  temples.    A  network  of  roads  connected  the  capital  with  remote  provinces.      

•  Historic  Monuments  of  Ancient  Nara  

hcp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/403360/Nara-­‐period  

Nara  Government  •  Un0l  the  eighth  century,  the  capital  usually  moved  each  0me  an  emperor  died.    

•  Then,  in  710,  a  new  capital,  intended  to  be  permanent,  was  established  at  Nara.    

•  It  was  laid  out  on  a  checkerboard  grid  like  the  Chinese  capital  at  Chang’an.    

•  But  then,  it  moved  again—some  say  to  escape  the  meddling  in  poli0cs  of  powerful  Buddhist  temples.    

hcp://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0136005241.pdf  

People,  Land,  and  Taxes  •  The  life  of  the  common  people  of  Japan  remained  harsh  

during  the  Nara  and  Heian  periods.    •  Es0mates  of  the  early  Nara  popula0on  suggest  slightly  

more  than  5  million  people;  by  the  end  of  the  Heian  period,  almost  half  a  millennium  later,  the  number  had  increased  to  only  about  6  million.    

•  Why  had  popula0on  not  grown  more  during  these  fairly  peaceful  centuries?    –  One  reason  is  that  agricultural  technology  improved  only  slightly.  Wooden  plows  were  s0ll  in  use.    

–  Another  was  the  frequency  of  droughts,  which  caused  frequent  famines.    

–  A  third  was  the  effect  of  con0nental  germs—introduced  by  embassies  or  trade—on  a  previously  isolated  Japanese  popula0on  that  had  not  yet  developed  immuni0es.  Periodic  epidemics  swept  the  court  and  village  communi0es  alike.    

hcp://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0136005241.pdf  

People,  Land,  and  Taxes  

•  Taxes  were  a  heavy  burden  on  village  popula0ons.  

•  In  the  Nara  and  early  Heian  periods,  the  problem  for  peasants  was  to  obtain  land.    

•  The  problem  for  the  government,  imperial  family,  nobles,  and  temples  was  to  find  labor  to  work  their  extensive  landholdings.  

•  What  do  you  think  the  result  was?    •  The  solu0on  was  the  “equal-­‐field  system”  of  Tang  China.    

hcp://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0136005241.pdf  

Equal-­‐Field  System  •  Chinese  land-­‐distribu0on  system,  AD  485–8th  century.  Borrowed  by  Japan  in  646,  it  lasted  about  a  century  there.    

•  Under  the  system,  all  adults  were  assigned  a  fixed  amount  of  land;  a  por0on  of  its  produce  was  paid  as  taxes.    

•  On  a  person's  death,  most  of  the  land  was  returned  to  the  government.    

•  Increases  in  popula0on  and  a  tendency  for  the  land  to  come  to  be  held  permanently  led  to  the  system's  collapse  in  China;  tax-­‐free  status  and  addi0onal  allotments  for  nobles  and  monasteries  resulted  in  its  demise  in  Japan.  

•  Why  wouldn’t  this  system  work?  hcp://www.merriam-­‐webster.com/concise/equal-­‐field%20system  

Rise  of  the  Samurai  •  Japan  faced  no  powerful  nomadic  armies  on  its  borders.    

•  Hmm,  why?  •  Its  military  had  only  to  police  Japan.    •  During  the  Nara  period,  Japan  followed  the  Chinese  model  and  conscripted  (draued)  about  a  third  of  all  able-­‐bodied  men  between  the  ages  of  21  and  60.      

•  The  conscript  army  proved  inefficient.  •  Why  do  you  think  the  army  wasn’t  successful?  

hcp://www.merriam-­‐webster.com/concise/equal-­‐field%20system  

Rise  of  the  Samurai  •  In  792,  two  years  before  the  Heian  

period  began,  the  court  decided  to  recruit,  instead,  local  mounted  warriors.    

•  In  return  for  military  service,  they  paid  no  taxes.    

•  The  Japanese  verb  “to  serve”  is  samurau,  so  those  who  served  became  samurai—the  noun  form  of  the  verb.  

•  Then,  from  the  mid-­‐Heian  period,  the  officially  recruited  warriors  were  replaced  by  nonofficial  bands  of  local  warriors.    

hcp://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0136005241.pdf  

Nara  Religion  •  Auer  the  death  of  Prince  Regent  Shotoku,  Buddhism  con0nued  to  flourish  

among  court  nobles,  monks,  and  ar0sans.    •  Na0onal  Buddhist  temples  were  built  by  the  Emperer  Shomu  in  every  

province,  the  headquarters  of  which  was  at  Todai-­‐ji  temple  in  Nara.    •  Buddhist  scriptures  were  introduced  from  China  and  were  studied  by  the  

Japanese  monks.  •  Buddhist  images  and  ornaments  were  made  by  the  Japanese  ar0sans,  

some  of  which  can  s0ll  be  seen  in  the  older  temples  in  Japan.  •  Buddhist  temples  in  those  days  were  the  center  of  culture;  they  were  not  

only  used  as  places  of  worship,  but  also  as  schools,  hospitals,  dispensaries,  orphanages,  and  refuges  for  older  people.  The  monks  were  also  school  teachers,  physicians,  engineers,  and  developers  of  many  construc0on  projects.    

•  Therefore,  the  Japanese  government  encouraged  and  supported  the  Buddhist  ins0tu0ons  and  monks  spiritually  and  materially,  so  that  they  could  work  with  the  government  and  the  people  more  effec0vely.    

hcp://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0136005241.pdf  hcp://www.buddhanet.net/nippon/nippon_partI.html  

 

Educa0on  in  Nara  

•  From  the  Nara  period  un0l  the  nineteenth  century,  most  philosophical  and  legal  wri0ngs  as  well  as  most  of  the  histories,  essays,  and  religious  texts  in  Japan  were  wricen  in  Chinese.    

Exit  Ticket  •  Choose  one  of  the  following  ques0ons  to  answer  with  a  paragraph.  –  Explain  how  China  influenced  life  during  the  Nara  period  in  Japan.  

– How  did  leaders  spread  Buddhism  during  the  Nara  period  in  Japan.      

– How  were  common  people  treated  during  the  Nara  period?    

– Why  did  Japan  become  an  important  na0on  during  this  0me?    

Don’t  forget!    Your  map  quiz  is  tomorrow!